WEBVTT SIMILAR UPBRINGINGS. COURTIS: MIKE GIBBONS AND JIM RENACCI, BOTH ARE DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTERS, HOPING TO RIDE THE TRUMP BANDWAGON INTO THE U.S. SENATE. THE PRESIDENT HAS PUBLICLY SUPPORTED RENACCI. >> IN OHIO THE PRESIDENT IS STILL VERY MUCH SUPPORTED OVERALL I KNOW REPUBLICANS SUPPORT HIM. OVERALL, WE’VE SEEN POLLING WHERE HE IS AT 57% APPROVAL RATING SO IT’S GREAT TO HAVE HIM ON YOUR SIDE, ESPECIALLY HERE. >> I SUPPORT HIS AGENDA HE COULDN’T HAVE A STRONGER BACKER OF HIS AGENDA THAN ME HE’LL BE JUST FINE WITH ME. COURTIS: ON THE ISSUES, IMMIGRATION. >> AS A HUMAN BEING I FEEL BAD THAT THEY ARE IN THIS STATE OF FLUX I DON’T THINK IT’S THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I THINK THE DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO HOLD IT OVER THEIR HEADS THEY’RE A PAWN FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. >> IMMIGRATION IS SOMETHING THAT’S BEEN IGNORED BY CONGRESS. LOOK WE NEED TO FIX OUR BROKEN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT E VERIFY WE NEED TO LOOK AT CHAIN MIGRATION. WE NEED TO LOOK WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL THESE THINGS. WE HAVE TO GET THE BORDER WALL UP I’M A BIG SUPPORTER OF THAT YOU GOT TO STOP THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE IN THE DRUGS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH. YOU GOT TO DO THAT BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE GOT TO LOOK AT OUR SYSTEM AND MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING HERE LEGALLY AND PROPERLY HAVE A SYSTEM THAT WORKS. >> WHEN YOU COME TO THE UNITED STATES FROM MEXICO THEY CHARGE NOTHING. WE COULD FUND THE ENTIRE COST OF THE BORDER WALL WITH THE ONE HALF MILLION PEOPLE WHO ARRIVE AT OUR SOUTHERN BORDER EVERYDAY COURTIS: THE POLITICAL CLIMATE IN WASHINGTON. >> I BELIEVE CAREER POLITITANS GO TO WASHINGTON AND THEY GET THERE AND THE FOLLOWING DAY THEY START WORKING FOR REELECTION. >> THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE LEARNED BEING IN WASHINGTON FOR SEVEN YEARS IS TOO OFTEN POLITIANS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEXT ELECTIONS NOT THE NEXT GENERATION. COURTIS: THEY HAVE THEIR SIGHTS SET ON GOING UP AGAINST INCUMBANT SENATOR SHERROD BROWN, BUT FIRST THINGS FIRST WITH THEIR FOCUS ON THE BALLOT BOX MAY 8. >> WE FEEL CONFIDENT WITH THE PRESIDENT’S SUPPORT I THINK IN THE END PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THE PRESIDENT’S AGENDA MOVE FORWARD. >> MY CHIEF COMPETITOR IS JIM RENACCI A FOUR TERM SITTING CONGRESSMAN. HE WAS A LOBBYIST BEFORE THAT. DONALD TRUMP WANTED TO DRAIN THE SWAMP. I WANT TO HELP THEM. COURTIS: JOSH MANDEL DROPPED OUT FOR FAMILY REASONS. GIBBONS SAYS HE WAS ENCOURAGED BY SOME OF HIS GOP FRIENDS TO THROW HIS HAT INTO

Mike Gibbons and Jim Renacci, two loyal supporters of President Donald Trump, are hoping to ride the Trump bandwagon into the U.S. Senate.

The president has publicly supported Renacci.

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“In Ohio, the president is still very much supported overall. I know Republicans support him. Overall, we’ve seen polling where he’s at 54, 56, 57 percent approval rating, so it’s great to have him on your side, especially here,” Renacci said.

Gibbons said he supported President Trump with his dollars and his vote and was being considered for a spot in the administration.

“I support his agenda. He couldn’t have a stronger backer of his agenda than me. He’ll be just fine with me,” Gibbons said.

Both candidates come from blue-collar families and climbed the ladder to successful business careers. Renacci has spent seven years in the U.S. House of Representatives and even considered a run for governor, but was persuaded to throw his hat into the ring for the Senate.

“What I’ve learned being in Washington for seven years is: Too often politicians are concerned about the next elections, not the next generation,” Renacci said.

Gibbons is a newcomer to the candidates’ circle. He said, “I believe career politicians go to Washington and they get there and the following day, they start working for re-election.”

Renacci said he thinks people want to see the president’s agenda move forward and he’s confident about his chance of winning the republican primary May 8.

Gibbons is also confident. He said, “Donald Trump wanted to drain the swamp. I want to help him.”